dalton



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. T. DALTON.

GAR COUPLING.

atented Dec. 11, 1883.

Fly. J. ,S

wz'inesses. 17719611251".

N PETERS. Pbvwulhc n her. Washingmn. n.c.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(N70 Model.)

' J. T. DALTON.

GAR COUPLING.

No. 289,898. I v Patented Dec. 11, 1883.

N PETERS. Pholcrhlhognpher. Wuhingimn n. c.

- UNITED STATES PATENT omen JAMES T. DALTON, OF CENTRAL FALLS, RHODE ISLAND. 4

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATTON forming part of Letters Patent No. 289,898, dated December 11, 1883,

Application filed- October 3, 1882-.

(No model.)

the necessity of having at the time of coupling an attendant between the cars to be coupled.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple and efficient coupling arrangement by which the cars, without regard to the varia tions in height ordinarily found in freightcars, can be made to couple themselves automatically, and can be readily uncoupled from the top of the carone which does not require to be adjusted or set previously to coupling of the cars, that cannot be easily deranged nor its parts broken, and-can be used with the link to connect with cars fitted for that style of coupling only; and my method of doing this is by constructing the interior of the draw head in such a manner that,by means of beveled surfaces in the opening into the same, a coupling bar of my invention is guided at whatever part such opening it strikes into a slot made for its reception, and in its passage into and along such slot the end of the coupling-bar (specially formed for that" purpose) lifts a latch, drop-bolt, or equivalent device in a slot or guideway made in the draw-head for its reception, and holds it up till the end i of the coupling-bar has passed into its proper slot past a shoulder orbarb on the same, when the latch drops behind the shoulder and holds the bar firmly and rigidly in place.

The coupling-bar is a bar with rounded ends,

and on each end a barb, with the face of rear of barb preferably straight and at right angles to the main line of the bar.

Combined with the arrangement above described I have a hole running perpendicularly through the draw head, and a pin to pass through it so arranged as to allow of a linkcoupling being substituted and used instead of my described coupling-bar, when desired.

To uncouple the car, the latch 'is lifted till .bar is marked in heavy lines.

it clears the barb, when the coupling bar draws out of the draw-head, the latch then drops back into its place, ready to repeat its action on the next entering coupling-bar.

One method in which my invention maybe put in operation I have illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in the different figures of which similar letters refer to similar parts.

Figure l is a vertical projection of a coupling-bar, latch, and draw-head of my invention shown in section, and connected therewith a portion of a draw-bar shown in elevation. Fig. 2 is a top view of coupling-bar, draw-head, latch, and portion of draw-bar shown in elevation, and showing in dotted lines the portion of the coupling-bar hidden by the top of the draw-head, and also indicating in dotted lines the bevel of inner surface of sides of draw-head from the face of the same to the slot which receives and holds the coupling-bar. Fig. 3 is a sectional view of Fig. 2 throughline at x. v Fig; 4 is a frontview of the draw-head of my invention, showing at the left hand an ear supporting the fulcrum on which, in this form of my invention,the latch turns. The slot which receives the couplingthe pinholes through the solid metal of drawhead is indicated by dotted lines. The guideslot into which the latch falls is indicated by dotted lines, andthe broken lines, marked '1,

2, 3, 4, and 5, indicate the relative positions of surfaces marked 1. 2, 3, 4, and 5, respectively, in Figs. 1 and 2. Fig; 5 shows a section across the draw-bar through the guidingslot in which the latch rests in coupling, with the latch thrown open and resting in the position desired, as hereinafter explained, when the cars are to be used in bunting or push ing each other withoutbeing coupled, the rear part of the slot into which the coupling-bar enters being shown at S. Fig. 6 shows the device as applied to theuse of the link-coup ling, being the same view as Fig. 1, except that the coupling-bar is removed and a link pin inserted, and a sufficient portion of a link represented to show the mode of its insertion. Fig. 7 is a view the same as Fig.2, excepting that the coupling-bar is removed and la linkpin and link inserted. The position of the The course of link where hidden by the top of the draw -head is indicated by dottedlines. V

B is the coupling-bar, made, preferably, with rounded ends, as shown in Fig. 1.

b is the barb, one at either end, and b is the shoulder in rear of barb, which maybe at any angle with linear line of the coupling-bar, which will allow of its being caught and held in place by the latch, though I prefer the angle of ninety degrees.

-D is the draw-head'with the bevel d run ning from bottom of opening into face of draw- 7 head to bottom of slot S, which receives and" holds the end'of coupling-bar, as'shownin-section in Fig. 1.

dis the-bevel from sides of said opening tothesides'of said-slot, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. This bevel at the sides is made sufficiently open, as shown in Fig.- 7, to

afford room'for a link to passbehind the pin P when the latter is in place, as hereinafter described, without striking such beveled'sides, and the upper bevel of interior of draw head formed of two parts, one marked (1, (Figs; 1

and 6,")and the other being a retreating bevel, (2, Figs. 1 and '6.

E isthe ear on the draw-head which fur nish'es'the support onwhich the latch L fulcruiris'."

O' is the opening or slot into which the latch L falls,"-being prevented from falling below a certain-level (preferably at or slightlyabove the level of the top of main rod ofbarB when the latter is resting. on bottom of slot S)- by the Thelatch L, when in rear of saine,"-as shown in'Figz- 1.

The latch L may have a lug or ear, I, pref-- erabl'y attached to the top, as shown in F-igs.-- 1. 2," 3,6,6, and 7, and to which a chain'or equivalent, 0, (which maylead to the-top. of

the can is attached, by which in uncoupling. cars the latch is lifted till it clears the top of V shoulder l/ 'of barb b,when the coupling-bar B draws 'out of the slot s, thus uncoupling the cars'j;

The latch L mayhave attached to it a spur or "stop; S; so placed that when the latch is thrown over its fulcrumingspoint, so that its center {of gravityis back of a perpendicular line'fdr'aw'n through such "point, saidfspur s will come in contact with the outside of the draw head' and'stop the fartherbackward moyeinentof the latch, as shown in. Fig. 5.

This" spurperforms three functions,first, it prevents-"the" -latch"when drawn u'ptoo violently from turning on itsfulcrum beyond a certain point; second, if,in uncoupling cars,thelatch;is drawnupwith great force, the spur strikes the draw had and-the elasticity of the metal will cause-'thela'teh'to spring back into its guiding, slot O ready for'coupling; third, if it be de sired to throw the coupling arrangement out of aetien,so that cars can be pressed against each other -and-one "used to bunt'or push the other without 'theifbeing 'coupled, (a thing often necessaryin the management and use of freight-cars, by gently drawing on chain 0, the latch L may be drawn over its fulcrum till the center of gravity is in rear thereo f, and if the chain is then released, the latch will drop in rear of fulcrum till stopped by the spur in the position shown in Fig. 5. The cars can then be used to bunt each other without their coupling together. Vhen it is desired to resume the coupling action, a pull on the chain throws the latch over its fulcrum and it falls into slot 0, ready for coupling.

The'slot S,'which receives the coupling-bar, is, in rear of guide-slot 0, made open at the top of the draw-head, and may be open to its full length, though Iprefer to make it as shown in Figs. 1 and 6viz., partially covered in at top," and-the rear part of the slot formed-of the two slopes S -and S, meeting each other aboutthe The effect of this middle of height of slot.

formation is that in coupling cars ofdifferent heights the end of the coupling-bar will strike one or the other of these two slopes a glancing; blow, thus lessening the shock of contact. v

The rear part of slotS may bemadeslightly.

wider than the coupling-bar,-sufficiently so in connection with the lateral motion of the drawhead and draw bar, consequent upon their mode of construction and connection withthe car, toallow'of the end of the coupling-bar working in and with the draw-head obtain-- ing the necessary side motion in coupling cars whoserespective draw-heads are not in the same linear line, (cars coupling ona curve, for instance,-) and also to accommodate theworking of the coupling -bar when coupled cars are a passing round curves or are in other situa-; tions which giverise to side'motions in such cars, while the position of the coupling-bar-will always bein a straight line with the car-when not acted on by such accidental causes.

The object of the reverse bevel inthe upper part of the draw-head is toallow the barb of a coupling-bar comingfrom a lower-cztrarids ascending bevel d to freely pass upward-till it has passed under latch-L without the shoul-- M in case it is necessary to use the old-fashioned casemy special coupling-bar B 'is takenoutand a link-couplingused instead. Thelink- L is shown partially in Fig. 6 and shown-or indicated fully in Fig.- 7.

The action of the'device isas follows: Sup: pose the cars fitted with my invention, the pinlink and coupling-bar being all out of; the

draw-head. The end of a coupling-baris'" placed in' the opening in face of the draw; head and pressed against the draw-head.

Guided by whichever bevel it strikes, itpasses into slot S in its passage,-lifting and engaging-L- with latch L. i It is then-in-po sition shown-in i 3 Fig.1 1. If this car-be pressed againstanother' with draw-head of same height on a straight line of track, the projecting end of the coupling-bar (the end of coupling-bar in the drawhead being prevented by rear end of slot S from farther entrance into the same) is thrust jecting end of the coupling-bar strikes on the bevel d of the draw-head of the second car, and is driven down said bevel and into the slot S (the end of the coupling-bar already secured in draw-head of first car lifting in the upper open part of slot S, carrying the latch L with it, but not disengaging itself therefrom) till the end of the coupling-bar passes under the latch L in such lower draw-head and engages with it, thus coupling the cars. If the first car be pressed against a car with a higher draw-head, the projecting end of the coupling-bar strikes the bevel d in such higher draw-head, slides up the same into slot S, and its barbed end passes under and engages with latch L, the end of coupling-bar in draw-head of first car lifting, but not disengaging itself, from latch L in such draw-head as it moves under the different strains brought on it in the operation. It is believed that by this system most cars in use can be conveniently coupled with a straight coupling-bar; but should cars .be found with two great a difference in height of draw-bar to be conveniently so coupled, it is easy to substitute for the straight coupling-bar a bent one-Viz., a bar having two bends, one vertical and one horizontal-in that part of the bar that remains between the draw-heads, and by making the vertical portion between the bends of sufficient length draw-heads with any variance of height can be readily coupled. Such bent coupling-bars can be carried on the engine till needed in the same way that it is now common to carry bent links for the same purpose.

If two cars meet upon a curve, the projecting end of the coupling-bar from the one strikes on bevel (7. and is guided toslot S of the draw-head of the other, the coupling-bar working in and with the draw-bars, as here inabove described, to give the requisite side motion.

To unco'uple the cars, the latch may be lifted in any way (as by a pull on chain 0) till it clears the shoulder 11, when the coup ling-bar, disengaged, draws out of the draw-- head.

The cars, by throwing the latch over its fulcrum, can be fitted for use in bunting, as here-- inabove described.

If it be necessary to use the device with a link-coupling, the bar B is taken out and a link inserted, as shown in Fig. 7,and the pin P passed through the hole H, thus giving a link-coupling which is used as ordinary linkcouplings are-via, guided by handinto opening of draw-head of approaching car, and when in place pin 1?, passed through hole H in such draw-head, passing through the link.

I do not claim as new the link-coupling fea- 7o ture of the device; but the combination of the link-coupling device with the automatic coupling device, giving a coupling that can at will be used in either way, is what I claim as new. 7

It is evident that many changes may be made in the specific forms here shown-as, for instance, the barbs may be at the side instead of on top of bar B, and the latch slide up an inclined face of same instead of as shown; the ends of bar B may be double-barbed or arrow-head shaped; the form of slot S may be varied, as may that of latch L, or the latter may be substituted by abolt, an d other changes be made without departing substantially from my invention.

This device is especially applicable to use on freight cars, but it may be applied to passenger -cars, to the coupling of poles of horse-cars, to such cars, and to many other purposes.

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent-- 1. In a railroad-car draw-head, the combination of the latch or gravity-catch L, provided with the spur or stop S, and attached at or near one end of the cross-slot 0, said slot 0 being open at the top of said drawhead and closed at the sides of the same, with the shoulder O, and with the receiving-slot S, opening from said slot 0, and having its bottom horizontal and continuous with the bottom of slot 0 to the commencement of curve S, and having its top partially open through the top of said draw-head, substantially as and for the purposes herein described.

2. In a railroad-car draw-head, the latch or gravity-catch L, provided with the spur or stop S, and attached at or near one end of the cross-slot 0, said slot 0 being open at the top of said draw-head and closed at the sides of the same, and crossing and entering into the receiving-slot S, substantially as herein described.

3. In a car-coupling, the latch L, provided with the spur S, arranged, as herein described, in connection with the draw-head, to control the movements of the latch, as herein de scribed.

IIO

JAMES T. DALTON.

Vitnesses:

THos. H. MURPHY, Louis L. ANGELL. 

